my favourite birthday gift

I was already looking forward to telling you a story about the great and exciting circle of life and then it just got more magnificent.

Get comfy.

Once upon a time, long before we were this

We were this

But wait. Even before that, when I was super duper preggars with sassy pants and two year old Charlotte was underfoot, there was a knock at the door. An angel appeared from the heavens (seriously folks) offering to babysit. There the most lovable, beautiful 12 year old stood Hi I am Katie. I am 12, we have mutual friends, and I could  save your life, perform miracles babysit for you.

The first time she sat for us, she dropped Charlotte on the head. But she was so remorseful, inconsolable, in fact, that I fell in love with her right on the spot.

She became like family.

She would come over for dinner and after school just to be with us. I craved her company after long afternoons of the Wheels on the Bus and fearing mine were coming off. At times I think I confused her with a contemporary because a teenager seemed practically my age.

She was a daughter, a friend, and, even weirdly, like a sister to me.

One day she exclaimed I can’t wait to have a baby. I will name my child Murray.

I was drinking milk at the time and it shot through my left nostril across the room.

No, Katie. Never Murray. You cannot call someone Murray who is suckling at your breast. It is a pasty middle aged man name. He will have no friends. He will not get chosen for the baseball team. No one will kiss him because he will have halitosis. He will wear his shoes on the wrong feet until he is 20. He will live with you until you are dead. Murray? Nope.

When she was choosing Universities- she came to us for advice. Should I go to Dalhousie or Acadia? We looked at each other- as clear as females  can be who share a household, menstruate all at once and speak their own dialect- and said in unison, shrugging shoulders, Well that is easy. You must go to A- Katie -A. With no hint of humour or irony.

And so she did. And there she earned one of two degrees and met her future husband.

My children sang at her wedding and reception. It was magic on a level I had never experienced.

One day, in the kitchen I had to tell her We are separating. She cried hard. We were her favourite family. It was like telling another child.

We could film a movie of her life moments in our kitchen. Next up- I am pregnant. Tears all around.

Thank goodness Murray was off the table.

On Saturday I went to her shower with my baby- a wild foal she helped me tame- now 17 and 5’10.

Katie was beautiful and graceful and darling. And 5 weeks from her due date.

The very next morning (yesterday), on my birthday, I get a phone call. I have a gift for you, Katie says in a whisper,  I had my baby today. And I named her after Charlotte.

(The one she dropped on her head).

Oh, sweet, poetic, beautiful life.

 

 

(I can’t help but tell you her original due date was my ex husband’s birthday. What can I say? I guess she felt she had to choose.)

 

 

 

10 thoughts on “my favourite birthday gift

    • Lisa
      Thank you for this- loved seeing you at the grocery store!! I am thrilled you love my blog xoxox Wine soon.

  1. Thank you Nancy for sharing a beautiful story, it made my day. And happy birthday to lovely you.

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